Get your pasta fix with Spaghetti & Meatball Muffins. Pasta nests with meatball center, gooey cheese, in the perfect finger food! Great lunchbox treat too!
Place pasta in large bowl and mix in 1-½ cups marinara.
Stir in beaten egg.
Add 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan to pasta mixture and stir well.
Spray silicone baking cups with nonstick spray.
Fill each cup with pasta mixture, pressing down to make more compact.
Place the baking cups in your air fryer. Make sure there is enough room for air to flow freely around them. Don’t overcrowd. These can be done in stages until all are cooked.
Cook for 4-5 minutes at 390 degrees Fahrenheit. Carefully remove from air fryer with large tongs.
Push a meatball into the center of each muffin cup. Top with a little more sauce and a sprinkling of mozzarella.
Return to air fryer and cook an additional 2 minutes at 390 degrees F.
Remove with tongs and set aside to cool slightly.
Repeat with remaining Spaghetti and Meatball Muffins.
Once cooled, they can be taken out of the silicone cups and placed on a serving platter. Serve with additional pasta sauce on the side.
These muffins can be wrapped singly for lunchboxes, snacks or freeze for future use.
To reheat from frozen, place in microwave and cook for 1 minute. If still a little cold, add more time in 30 second increments.
Notes
Regular Oven Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a nonstick muffin tin with nonstick spray.
Proceed to pack in pasta mixture as described above. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Remove and add meatball to center, top with sauce and a sprinkling of cheese.
Place under broiler until cheese melts and browns.
Carefully remove muffin from muffin tin and serve with additional marinara on side.
Some Great Benefits to making Pasta Muffins
A great way to use up leftover pasta. These work with both long strand spaghetti, elbows and ziti.
Hide hidden vegetables in the sauce or meatballs. No one will know they're getting their veggies too!
Perfect meal prep item for lunch boxes and easy dinners.
I love these as leftovers. Whoever thought of spaghetti and meatballs as a finger food!!
Change up the beef meatballs with turkey or chicken versions or even vegetarian versions.